Around the Horn: Detailing First Day Headlines in the Spring Transfer Portal

Joseph Maiorana-Imagn Images

The spring transfer portal is officially open, and the Hoos are in need of reinforcement in a few positions. That said, what's the buzz across the country, and how does it affect Virginia? Here are five storylines from the opening stages of the transfer portal: 

West Virginia Sees Mass Exodus of Players Hit the Portal

A mass exodus into the portal is nothing new for UVA sports fans when Ryan Odom recently arrived in Charlottesville as Virginia's latest men's basketball coach. A similar trend ensued in Morgantown on the gridiron, although Rich Rodriguez, who joined the Mountaineers back in December, saw his players leave for a different reason. 

With the impending house settlement set to raise scholarships for football from 85 to 105 but lower overall roster size, Rodriguez needed to make room for an incoming 18-player freshman class to arrive this summer, opting for some of his players to find a home elsewhere. 

On the opening day of the portal, April 16th, over 30 players on the WVU roster hit the portal. 

Of entries, notable targets for Virginia could include junior cornerback Jacolby Spells and three-star freshman cornerbacks Zah Jackson and Keyon Washington. Interior offensive lineman Gavin Crawford and running back Traevon Dunbar are both worth a look as well. 

California Backfield Hits the Transfer Portal 

One of the potential positions Virginia can target this offseason is running back, a third guy who can fit in alongside a one-two punch of Xavier Brown and J'Mari Taylor. A perfect place to look is across the country, but within the ACC, where Cal, who Virginia plays on November 1st, saw their top five running backs all enter the transfer portal. 

This crew is led by Jadyn Ott, who quickly announced his commitment to Oklahoma. However, Jaivan Thomas and Justin Williams-Thomas are searching for new homes and would make great additions to Virginia's backfield in 2025. 

Nico Iamaleava's Situation Further Reveals the Wild West That is the Current State of College Football 

Tennessee quarterback Nico Iamaleava departed Knoxville after reported failed contract negotiations per On3 reporter Pete Nakos, where the former five-star recruit requested an increase in NIL compensation. Coach Josh Heupel and staff refused to budge, announcing that they would be moving on from their signal-caller who led them to the College Football Playoff in 2024. On Wednesday, Iamaleava reportedly committed to UCLA, which is a significant downgrade from a program perspective. 

So, what does this mean for Virginia and college football? 

Although at the moment it seems that neither Tennessee nor Iamaleava has emerged as a winner in this situation, the situation may lead to players being less willing to press their bargaining power in NIL and stick to their schools. The game of college football is bred on loyalty and incomparable passion that creates atmospheres like no other. Although I support NIL and athletes earning compensation, it's clear that situations like the Iamaleava debacle demonstrate the current unregulated world of college athletics. One can only hope this results in more action taken to right the ship that is currently the Wild West. 

SEC Spring Transfer Rules Breeds Opportunity for Virginia

In the spring transfer portal, players who enter from an SEC school cannot transfer to another school within the conference and immediately play the following fall, meaning SEC transfers' top destinations become the other power conferences of the Big 10, ACC, and Big 12, breeding tremendous opportunities for a school like Virginia to bulk up on last minute additions before the fall. 

Potential additions for the Hoos include Mississippi State offensive lineman Jesse Ramil, a former JMU player, JaCorey Whitted, and Kentucky offensive tackle Wallace Unamba. 

Minimal Virginia Players Hit the Portal 

Moving off the previous point, as of the time of publishing (April 17th), right tackle Blake Steen remains the only Virginia player of note to enter his name into the transfer portal in the spring window, a reflection of unity under Tony Elliott and amongst the current players on the roster. The ability to retain the roster gives spring football that much more of an impact, as there will not be much reteaching come the fall compared to other programs. 

Time will only tell what moves Virginia makes in the spring portal.